


Reaching Out

by Sylanna



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Lord of the Rings - All Media Types, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bars and Pubs, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:13:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25625722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylanna/pseuds/Sylanna
Summary: Gilgalad worked as a barkeeper in a small bar. One night, three guys stumbled in, one of them clearly uncomfortable. Later, he found the one drunk and left behind in a near park. A connection is formed.
Relationships: Celebrimbor | Telperinquar/Ereinion Gil-galad
Comments: 16
Kudos: 16





	1. The drunken elf on the way home

**Author's Note:**

> Written, because someone (I forgot who) complained on tumblr of how few coffee-shop AU's there are for Celebrimbor. The setting here is a bit different, but it is the same trope, so here you go.  
> Also, I chose Gilgalad because of the beautiful fanart I saw, drawn by windrelyn (tumblr) of those two.  
> I dedicate this work to them, even if they probably will never read it.

Being a barkeeper can be exhausting. Gilgalad knows it for sure. He's been working at that one establishment for the past five years. He like d the club he's working at. It  was a dark club, frequented by the members of the metal and gothic scene. The regulars  were a peaceful bunch of people. Mostly humans, a few dwarves and elves. Some of them have almost become friends to Gilgalad over those years.

Working as a barkeeper had not been Gilgalad’s first choice of work. In his youth, he had dreamed of going to university and studying, becoming a politician. His past prevented that. As an orphan, he had never had the money to finance his dream. He’s been learning the trade of a journalist by day, but it did not pay the bills. The night shift in the club on fridays and saturdays brought enough money to boost his finances.   
  
Th e night  so much change s , there  are a few newcomers in the club. Gilgalad  always kept an extra eye on th ose, just in case.  Sometimes these people are lost or troublemakers. To him, the se newcomers look very much like trouble.  Something about them screamed danger. In a moment when the guests  are not storming the bar, he ask s his colleague to keep watch too.  His instincts had prevented critical situations, so she  just nods and goes back to work .   
When the three newcomers order their drinks, Gilgalad reassess es the situation based on what he  is able to read from their group dynamic. It ma kes him want to throw out two of them immediately. The long-haired blonde and the black-haired guy he want s  out and away from their third. Unfortunately, Gilgalad d oes not have the power to play bouncer as long as they d o not make trouble. The third guy they  are dragging along seem ed reluctant. He too w ears his hair long, but ke eps it in a neat braid. Pointy ears  are to be seen through the strands covering this part of his body.  These  are Elves  too  then, probably all three of them.  Not many of those enter this establishment on a regular basis.   
The two unpleasant guys order ed multiple shots of vodka and Gilgalad  was not allowed to refuse them. He trie d to make eye contact with the reluctant ellon.  He gets ignored, but not because of malice.   
  
Gilgalad looses them soon after, because he's busy mixing drinks. A group of rowdy dwarven females has arrived and blocked the whole bar for the time being. Every single one of them wants a different, complicated cocktail. It's a lot of work, but the money makes it worth it.  
When he looks around after that, he can't see those strange elves anymore.  
"Looking for those troublesome elves again?", asks his colleague Lily from the side.  
Gilgalad nods. "I am worried, one of them was clearly uncomfortable."  
"I assumed as much. Last I saw them, they were making their way towards the dancefloor. Maybe you can take a look at the security cam."  
"Okay, I'll take five."  
Gilgalad does what Lily told him and checks the cameras during his short break.  
He finds the elves quickly. As Lily estimated, they are on the dancefloor, swaying to the sounds of the music. Right now, it's some gothic rock track with a good bass sound. It's the kind of music Gilgalad himself likes. What he sees on the screen in front of him, he doesn't like. The two creeps have basically surrounded the third guy, who seems even more uncomfortable now on the dark dancefloor. Gilgalad hopes this ellon will soon find some courage to tell those two fuckers off.  
  
The rest of the night passes in a blur. Another wave of guests comes in shortly after midnight and keeps Gilgalad busy. He does not see the one ellon again, only one of the creeps comes by periodically and buys more drinks.  
  
When then bar is cleaned up, Gilgalad makes his way out of the back door. He's completely exhausted, his feet ate aching. To be fair, which the influx of customers, he has made a fair amount of tips, which he will probably use to order some food when he wakes up again. Right now, his bed is calling. Thankfully he lives near the bar.  
  
His way home leads through a small park. When he gets there, the sun is rising on a cloudless sky. It is promising to be a warm day. Unfortunately, Gilgalad will sleep for at least half of it. Sometimes he curses his nocturnal lifestyle.  
This time, the park is nearly empty. Only one person seems to be there. The person is slumped down on a bench and he's shaking. Gilgalad debates with himself if he should go over. He's seen people break down before. Be it because of emotions or drugs. This guy, somehow he seems familiar.  
Gilgalad makes the executive decision to go over and see if the person is alright.  
"Hello?", he asks carefully. If this is a junkie, he has to be.  
The guy looks up and Gilgalad recognizes him immediately. It is the uncomfortable elf from the club. But why is he here still? They've been closed for almost two hours now. The ellon looks worse now. He exhibits the signs of someone who is in great distress and fighting against the effects of alcohol at the same time.  
"Can you tell me what happened?", Gilgalad asks, switching to a sterner approach.  
The ellon looks up. "You are the barkeeper in that club", he states.  
Gilgalad nods. "I am. You are not used to drinking alcohol, are you?"  
"I am not", acknowledges the ellon.  
Gilgalad smiles bitterly. "I am Gilgalad", he introduces himself.  
" Celebrimbor."  
"It is good to meet you, Celebrimbor."  
"You too", murmurs the elf. "Can you tell me in which part of Tirion we are?"  
Oh. This is worse than Gilgalad expected. This guy, Celebrimbor, is lost. "We are in the Old Noldorin District. This is the Noldoran Park."  
"Thanks", the elf whispers. " Do you know how to get from here to Formenos Station? I would look it up on my phone, but the battery has died."  
Formenos? This is the most noble quarter of the city. Many old and wealthy elves have their home there. Is Celebrimbor's family from this place?  
"At this time in the morning, no bus or train goes there, I am sorry, you wi have to wait for a few hours", Gilgalad informs the ellon. Infrastructure and public services have not caught up to the preferences of the youth yet.  
" Just my luck then", Celebrimbor murmurs.  
"What happened to the guys you were out with? Why did they not take you home?" Gilgalad is very aware he's prying into something that's not his business.  
"They left me here."  
"Bastards. Do you know what? You can come over to mine, charge your phone and wait for a bus to take you home."  
Celebrimbor looks up, doubt on his eyes. "How do I know I can trust you?"  
At least the guy has a bit of a self preservation instinct, Gilgalad had been almost doubting it. "You don't." He yawns. "I am just tired right now and want my shower. Either you follow or you don't. The bus station is on the other side of the park", he points there, "and the next one goes approximately in three hours."  
When Gilgalad walks off, Celebrimbor follows.  
  
Together, they reach the apartment block where Gilgalad's flat is located on the third floor. It is not a big space by any means, but it is affordable. It's turned towards the main street. From there, it will be a five minute walk for Celebrimbor to the bus stop. The ellon is looking around the hallway, uncertain again. Gilgalad just points at the door at the end.  
"There's my small living room, to the right is the kitchen. Help yourself. Oh, and a charger for your phone is probably on the living room table."  
With this, Gilgalad steps into his bathroom located on the left side. It is small. Shower and toilet are on one wall, his washing machine on the other. If he uses his loo, his knees almost bump against it. Beneath the sink is a cabinet with cleaning agents.  
Gilgalad strips and steps into his shower. Today, the water is warm for once and he uses it to relax.  
  
When he steps out of the bathroom, he's dressed in fresh clothes and has almost forgotten his impromptu guest. He finds Celebrimbor asleep on his shitty sofa, the phone still in his hands. At least he had had the good sense to plug it in and turn it on.  
Gilgalad lets him sleep and makes himself a strong coffee. He won't go to bed as long as there is a basically complete stranger in his flat. Instead he can maybe start on the latest commission he got.  He makes a bit of a side income with the selling of custom made wodden beads for beards. His customers are mostly dwarves. Traditionally, they would have preferred metal ones, but there had been a shift in recent years, allowing Gilgalad to earn a bit more money.   
  
Two hours later, a bleary eyed Celebrimbor knock s at his door. Gilgalad put s down his tools and look s at him  expectantly . The sleep has done the ellon good,  but he’ s still looking like someone who drank too much the night before.

“Yes?”, Gilgalad asks his visitor.

“Um. I wanted to thank you for your unexpected hospitality”, the other elf stutters. “Is there any way I can repay you?

Gilgalad shakes his head. “You don’t have to. But I you want to do me a favor, ditch those two assholes that dragged you into my bar.”

Celebrimbor grimaces. “I do not want to see them again, either.”

“Who were they, to you?”, he asks again.

“Mairon was my roommate in university days, that’s the blonde guy. We were good friends, once. He was in town, so we thought to meet again. His new boyfriend, Melkor, is a douchbag, forgive me the language, and Mairon became like him.”

“You don’t have to apologize”, Gilgalad grouses. “Just, be safe, okay?”

Celebrimbor nods. “I will try.”

He le aves the room and a few seconds later, the main door of the flat click s shut.  Silence surround s Gilgalad again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know, it's a bit unrealistic, at least from my experiences at barkeeping, but it's fiction for a reason xD


	2. Meeting again

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the most horrible day today. So to calm down, I thought I would release this chapter a bit earlier than originally planned

Gilgalad never thought he would see Celebrimbor again. But a week later, during his night shift, the ellon turns up at the club again.

“Hello Celebrimbor”, Gilgalad greets him. “I did not expect to see you back.”

Next to him, his colleague chuckles knowingly. Gilgalad had told her the tale of his meeting with the other ellon, of course. To share work experiences.

“I did not plan on coming back”, says the other. “But here I am. Can you make me something to drink?”

“What do you want?”, Gilgalad asks, back to business.

Celebrimbor’s expression is unreadable. “I don’t know. I usually don’t drink alcohol. I will take whatever you like best.”

“That would be a Bloodthirst, a cocktail with a hot liquor, mixed with red juices. Do you want that?”

“Yes, please.”

Gilgalad shakes his head and takes up a shaker. His favourite drink is something with a lot of alcoholic ingredients, so he has to change it up a bit. In the end, he uses more of the juice portion. It made the whole thing a bit more sweeter than usual, but fine for someone unused to drinking.

“Here you go, a Bloodthirst for you.”

Celebrimbor  giv e s over the required money and a hefty tip. Gilgalad t akes it without question.  The tip, he w ill have to split with his colleague Finduilas at the end of the evening, as  i s their agreement. Still, it  is never a disadvantage for anyone.

C elebrimbor then disappear s towards the dancefloor with his drink and Gilgalad follow s him with his eyes.

Finduilas hits him her elbow into the ribs. “Get to work, there are customers waiting!”, she hisses.

It becomes a common occurrence. Almost every Friday, Celebrimbor showes up in the club, almost always alone. One time, another tall elf with equally long and dark hair accompanies him for a while, but he stops showing after three weeks.

“Where is your companion?”, Gilgalad asks as he hands over another Bloodthirst. He knew better than to assume anything.

Celebrimbor grins. “That was my relative Argon, he visited me for a while, trying to get away from the chaos that is our family.”

“Is your family that bad?”

“Not really. But recently, the tensions have erupted. My eldest uncle came out as gay and in relationship with his half-cousin, Argon’s brother. Neither father nor grandfather took it very positive and the branches of the family are now in a bit of a dispute.”

Gilgalad nods. “Sounds chaotic, I can understand why one would flee. What is your opinion on the whole thing?”

Celebrimbor laughs. “My father cut ties with me, after I positioned myself on my uncle’s side.”

“You are laughing about this?”

“It’s the third time this has happened. Given two weeks, he will stand on my porch, begging for forgiveness.”

The story confirmed some suspicions Gilgalad had. One, Celebrimbor belongs to one of the mayor elven families in the city, and two, he is of the younger generation. Also, he probably has his own flat and a well paying job. This assumption is based on the amount of tips the ellon left.

In general, under any other circumstance, Gilgalad would have never met Celebrimbor. Still, he refuses to be grateful for the circumstance that brought them together.

That evening, after the guests are gone, Gilgalad and Finduilas cleaned the bar up together. Polishing the glasses is going fast, if done by two people.

“You know, that ellon comes again to see you”, she says with mirth in her eyes.

Gilgalad just grunts. “You think so? Maybe he’s enjoying the music.”

“To a certain degree, possible. But, have you noticed he only orders his drinks from you. I tried to serve him once, he let someone else go first.”

“He’s not bad company”, Gilgalad agrees. “Though dating guests is not a good idea.”

Not it is Finduilas turn to look sour. “That was once. One bad decision. But seriously, this Celebrimbor-Elf is does not look too bad. But you thought about dating him then?”

In that moment, Gilgalad realizes what his earlier reply indicated. Not point in denying it. “Yes. Maybe. You know how I dislike stalker-ish guests and I can’t know for sure he isn’t one of those.”

“He came back to thank you, and that you can’t hold against him, after you pulled his ass out of a drunken stupor. Also, I saw him with the one of our regular groups, to me it looks like they are slowly becoming friends. Seeing you might just be a bonus for him.”

“Maybe.”

“You know, maybe you should just talk to him, only once. If you don’t want to see him again, you can tell him. Or just put his name into a search engine, there can’t be many elves sharing that long ass name.”

“I can hardly deny him entry to the club, if I don’t want so see him. Remember that stalker incident, where we had to pull strings to have the bouncers keep her out?”

“If needed, I will help you again. By the way, how is your other job going?”

With that, Finduilas successfully shifts the conversation to other topics, keeping Gilgalad from thinking too much about Celebrimbor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading. Kudos and comments are greatly appreciated.


	3. The Goldsmith

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the kind comments so far!  
> Also, I have an important announcement: This story is going to be longer than I originally intended, so have fun with it. I do not know yet the final chapter count.

Putting Celebrimbor’s name into a search engine was not a bad idea. Gilgalad followed Finduilas’ advise and typed the long name into his browser. It didn’t take long for the program to deliver results. There is a shop listed under Celebrimbor Finson. It is the most prestigious shop for jewellery, a goldsmith’s workplace. Gilgalad knew the store-front actually. As a child, the nanny dragged him away from it, when he looked at the beautiful pieces. The nanny was not happy about his tardiness and he always reprimanded Gilgalad for it, telling him he would never be able to afford such pricey items. How correct he had been.

W ith his last name, Gilgalad was now able to place Celebrimbor as heir of one of the most famous elven politicians in town. F ё anor is a ellon with strong, but outdated opinions. Gilgalad, who as an aspiring journalist kept track of politics, is no fan of him.  Still, the goldsmith’s shop has two listed owners. Celebrimbor and a someone by the name of Narvi. Apparently they are business partners. When Gilgalad looked at the rest of their homepage, he saw they mainly offer jewellery of different kinds. From his time as a kid in front of the store, he remembered being in awe of the  rings and beads.

The next time Celebrimbor shows up in the bar, Gilgalad takes some time to actually talk to the ellon more. Making conversation with the other is easy and flows freely. He learns more of the other’s history and shares some of his own. All in the few minutes Gilgalad has his break.

“Do you want to meet up one day again?”, asks Gilgalad, who has to gather his courage up for this. “I mean, not here.”

Celebrimbor actually smiles. “I would like this very much”, he answers. “Do you have something in mind?”

“Eating out, in a restaurant of your choosing?”, Gilgalad offers, even though he poses it more like a question.

“Sounds good to me. Do you know the Gondorian restaurant on Estel-street?”

Gilgalad nods. He does know the one Celebrimbor is talking about. It is a smaller restaurant, but it’s advantage are the seating options. They offer small booths for up to four people to share.  Gondarian food also offers a wide variety of dishes, both with and without meat.

“Is that alright then?”, Celebrimbor asks, to make sure.

Gilgalad nods again. “I’ve been there once before and their food is good.”

“Alright. I will call and see if I can get a table for two. Which date would suit you?”

“Thursday evening would be perfect, for I don’t have to rise early the following day.”

“Thursday it is”, Celebrimbor confirms and smiles his blinding smile again.

Thursday come s earlier than Gilgalad would have liked.  He makes an agreement with his teacher and leaves his writing lessons early. He’s been taking them for a while now, to further his knowledge, in hopes of one day becoming a journalist.

The extra time, he needs to figure out what to wear. The Gondorian place is not overly fancy. On the other hand, his meeting with Celebrimbor is a date, no way of denying it. He should at least make some effort.

In the end, he decides upon a blue sweater, which contrasts his grey eyes nicely. His hair, he braids down his back. The style is a bit more elaborate than the one he uses for work. He debates for a while the pros and cons of adding a bit of eyeliner. It is popular among ellyn these days, but he keeps his skin without it. He’s not used to applying the paint and if it ends up being crooked, it will be worse than not wearing it.

Going to the point of meeting, Gilgalad worries a great deal. It’s been a long time since he last went out on a date and that one did not end good. What if Celebrimbor doesn’t show? What if he’s a creep?

All his thoughts find an end when he sees the other ellon wait in front of the restaurant. He has avoided going in without Gilgalad, as is old elven custom. It makes him feel better almost immediately. Also, it makes Celebrimbor look endearing, holding on to such old traditions. Again, Gilgalad wonders how old the other is. It is impossible to tell with elves. It hardly seems like a question to pose at the first date though and in his short research, Ereinion has not found a birth note.

He greets Celebrimbor with a slight bow and a hand over his heart. It is a custom as old as the waiting outside, at least if history books are to be believed.

“Good evening, Celebrimbor”, Gilgalad whispers, his breath coming hard.

“Good evening, Ereinion. May I lead you inside?”, he asks. It shows the self-awareness the ellon must have, knowing his manners are a bit outdated.

“Of course”, Gilgalad answers. He’s surprised by Celebrimbor’s decision to use his second name. He allowed the other usage of both, but expected his first one, which is the one more frequently used as it is more pleasant on the tongue. Trust Celebrimbor to be different.

Together, they enter the Gondorian restaurant. It is as Gilgalad remembers it. The lights do not hurt the eyes, they are of the dimmed down variant. For them as elves, this is preferable. Evolutionary, elves were once used to very dark places, so their eyes are more sensitive.

The waiter in front smiles at them welcoming. He does not offer his hand in greeting though, as is mannish behaviour. Instead, he holds a hand above his heart. Gilgalad is surprised of the appropriate behaviour.

Celebrimbor returns the gesture and begins speaking: “I ordered a table under the name of Finson.”

A nod is the reply. The waiter then leads them to a table beside one of the windows. It is a booth made for two, paper screens offer distance from prying eyes.

The waiter offers them the menus. “What do you wish to drink?”

“Just some water please”, Gilgalad orders.

“For me the same”, Celebrimbor adds.

“Very well, I will be back shortly. Should you need anything in the meantime, do not hesitate to call for service by pressing this button”, the waiter explains. Gilgalad is already aware of this policy for the private spaces and nods.

Then he and Celebrimbor have privacy again  to talk.

Their conversation was pleasant enough. Celebrimbor shared some of his backstory, of how he became a goldsmith and how he met his business partner Narvi.  
"It was at a convention", Celebrimbor explained, "when he just appeared in front of me, demanding to see my work. He criticised the ring I was wearing, and I may have accidentally insulted the pearls in his beard."  
Gilgalad laughed heartily at that.

They choose different meals for their dinner. Celebrimbor orders a big salad with gilled sides of meat and fish, whereas Ereinion is a bit more adventurous and takes one of the menu options that offers a Haradin influence. Both dishes are very traditional though. The restaurant is known for working with historic recipes and often has a short explanation in the menu. Ereinion’s meal can be traced back to the time after the Great War, when trade with Harad started to grow, especially with spices.   
  
During the meal, they eat almost in silence.  Later  then , Gilgalad shares a bit of his own history. It is not a tale he tells often. He keeps it short.  
"You have no idea who your parents are?", Celebrimbor asks. " The elven community is small, a pregnancy would have stood out."  
Gilgalad shakes his head. "I tried to find them in my youth, when living at the orphanage I was struggling with. I did not find them and then accepted it. I have found my own standing."  
"Remarkable", Celebrimbor says.  
Gilgalad ignores it. He is not someone who complains about his start in life, putting blame on his caretakers or parents. He's aware he wasn't an easy child.  
Instead, he shifts the conversation back to Celebrimbor. "Has your father come around yet?", he asks.  
The other nods. "He had a talk with my eldest uncle and visited me afterwards. He apologized for his harsh reaction, so whatever Mae said, must have had an impact."  
"Your uncle Mae sounds clever, if he can get your father to calm down. From what you told me, he seems rather hot-headed."  
Celebrimbor grins. "You would be correct. In both cases. Mae is quite the strategist though. I once played a game of DnD he was the gamemaster for. I've never played a better thought out campaign."  
"You play DnD?", Gilgalad asks. He's played some games himself, during his later school years. These were mainly short one-shots, but they were fun.  
" Sometimes, when Narvi's group needs someone to jump in as a companion for a few sessions. I know, it isn't everyone's idea of a good time..."  
"Oh, shut up!", Gilgalad interrupts. "Rolling dice and using your imagination is awesome!"  
"You really think so?"  
  
"When you let me stay at your flat, I noticed quite a few political magazines. A hobby?", Celebrimbor asks when they are sitting with the desserts in front of them.  
Gilgalad swallows the piece of chocolate cake he's been chewing on down. "Not much of a hobby. I want to be a journalist and am taking online classes for it. Barkeeping just isn't what will get me through to retirement."  
"And journalism is what you dreamt about?", Celebrimbor asks. "Don't take me wrong, it is a respectable job. I just grew up in a household with a big politician and am glad I got out."  
Gilgalad shrugs. He's aware his plan for the future is not a glorious one. "Journalism would be something I can be passionate about and not go home with hurting feet at three o'clock in the morning."  
"I understand", Celebrimbor says and smiles. " I like sitting down when working too."  
"Tell me more about your work. Any interesting pieces you've created recently?"  
"The wedding rings for my uncle and his husband were probably the most elaborate pieces I did in the last months", Celebrimbor fake-whispers.  
"Can you show me?", Gilgalad begs. He wants to see more of this ellon's craft.  
"I can", the goldsmith says and reaches for his pocket. "Allow me to take out my phone?"  
Gilgalad is again a bit surprised how tactful the other is, asking for permission to take this item out, even if Ereinion was the one who requested it. Of course he nods.  
Celebrimbor proceeds to show him a picture of the two rings he made. They are a matching pair, both with a purple jewel skillfully woven into the composition. Gilgalad has no idea which kind of precious stone it is, but it is beautiful. What is surprising is the overall colour scheme. The rings are silver, but they reflect the light differently than normal silver would. "Which kind of metal did you use? It isn't silver, right?", Gilgalad asks.  
Celebrimbor flushes. "You noticed", he breathes out. "Not many do, these days. It is mithril."  
Gilgalad almost drops his fork. "Mithril is rare." It is an understatement. Mithril is one of the rarest materials on earth. It's market price is still moderate though, because many people choose the more common and cheap silver. Corporations don't look for it, because it is not conductive, making it useless for industry. Finding it on the market is remarkable though.  
"Mae and his husband found the original piece among some old ruins, probably part of some old armor. They kept it because no one was interested in that scrap piece. In the end, they asked me to make the rings out of it", Celebrimbor narrates.  
"They look beautiful", Gilgalad praises. "How long did the work on them take you? These rings are very intricate."  
"Long. But in the end, the couple is now very happy with them." The ellon almost glows with pride and Gilgalad smiles. Celebrimbor is so intriguing and still a bit mysterious. He is open about his family, but still, there is something more there that Ereinion can't discern.  
  
"How did you become a bartender?", Celebrimbor wants to know.  
This is not a long story for Gilgalad to tell. " I started doing small jobs during my last two years of schooling. Once I reached the legal age for alcohol consumption, the job offers I found included those in bars. I took the highest paying one to be able to get a small flat. Unfortunately, I forgot about the other costs, so I now also sell handmade wooden pearls and such, you saw my crafting room."  
"I was wondering about that, yes", Celebrimbor muses. "So we are both in the business of fabricating jewellery."  
"Yeah, but you're doing it professionally."

“That is true”, Celebrimbor agrees. “But you could do too, with enough motivation.”

“I don’t think so”, Gilgalad says. “I like jewellery enough, but not enough to make a living out of it. The ways of a journalist will serve me much better, in terms of passion and motivation.”


	4. An offer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: I may have found some plot other than fluff lying around, so enjoy ;)

Gilgalad is happy with how the date went. Celebrimbor is truly intriguing and he wants to meet the other again. They have exchanged their phone-numbers.

“I am not good with texting”, Celebrimbor had said. “I sometimes forget to answer for hours.”

“I’m not better. When I’m at work, I usually do not have my phone in reach and during the time when other people write messages, I am asleep. Mostly. I think, this will work.”

So they had parted for the night. Gilgalad had walked Celebrimbor to his bus station though. It was only polite to do so, and it had offered them some more minutes to get to know each other. Also, Ereinion’s first impression, of Celebrimbor living in on the noble elven parts of the city, proved to be true. Gilgalad had asked where exactly the other was living within the quarter of Formenos, and the other had cited the main road. Ereinion had been there once. Every building along that street is old, huge and prestigious. He had swallowed hard, when he realized again how different their social standing was.

Home again in his flat, Gilgalad walked towards the shower. His clothes certainly needed a washing, for they smelled a bit of the food he had been eating. It wasn’t bad, but he needed to do the housework anyway.

After this is done, Gilgalad sits down at his computer, doing some work for his courses in journalism. There is also one thing he has been ignoring for weeks. To get his degree, he has to do some kind of internship at a magazine. The last time he checked, there had been no offers online for such an internship. Gilgalad is getting desperate. His courses are coming to an end and this is the last thing missing.

His phone pings.

Celebrimbor wrote: Do you want to meet up again soon?

Gilgalad answered: Yes, of course! There is a traditional Gondorian Restaurant in my quarter of the city, would next week suit you, same time?

Celebrimbor wrote: Yes, that would be acceptable.

Hence, their conversation continued. Celebrimbor did not show up at the club that week, but he told Gilgalad he had had an urgent commission to finish.

Gilgalad offered Celebrimbor the same courtesy of waiting in front of the restaurant, despite the rain that was going down on Tirion that night. The place was very clean inside, the walls decorated with a wallpaper that resembled old hewn stones, like they were to be seen in the remnants of the historical part of Minas Tirith. There were also drawings hung up, of how that former great city of men once must have looked like. Nowadays, only parts of the palace remained, in ruins. A museum had been built on top of the stone rock that had been the fundament of the city. Gilgalad had visited there once, a day trip with the orphanage he had grown up in.

Celebrimbor looked around, his gaze appreciative of the decorations.

They talked about a lot of things that evening.

“How are your studies going?”, Celebrimbor asked again.

Gilgalad grimaced. “The coursework is almost done, but I can’t find a position for my internship I need to do to get my degree.”

“What does that internship entail?”

“Well, there’s a description written for that part of the courses I take. I have to work for a month at a newspaper or similar magazine and write at least one published article during my time there. Since I am focusing on political journalism, it would have to be about that. I really would like to end at one of the more serious newspapers, either the _Tirion Times_ or _Arda Politics Magazine_. Unfortunately, they don’t even offer unpaid internships at the moment.” Gilgalad sagged in his seat. “I just want to be done with my studies soon.”

Celebrimbor leaned inwards. “I understand that very well. I also was glad when I finished my apprenticeship and was able to open my own shop.”

Gilgalad nodded. “As it seems right now, I am stuck with bartending for the foreseeable future though.”

Celebrimbor closed his eyes for a moment. “I may know someone who could help you to possibly get an in at the Tirion Times.”

That would be too good to be true, but Gilgalad did not answer immediately. He felt like he would be using Celebrimbor for his own ends and he did not want that. He genuinely felt like he was falling in love with the other ellon and this could jeopardize this development. Gilgalad said as much and also asked Celebrimbor what he meant with ‘an in’.

“One of my relatives works at the Tirion Times. I am not closely related to her, but we know each other. She is not involved with the drama around my direct family members, so she still talks to me from time to time. Also, she owes me a favour.”

“I don’t need you to cash in that for me”, Gilgalad said.

Celebrimbor just smiled. “I offered this opportunity for you, freely and of my own will. I never intended to ask anything of her, ever.”

“Then you should not do it for me.”

“I would like to, but only if you ask me to.”

Gilgalad nodded. “I do not know. Let me think about it for a few days?”

“Of course”, Celebrimbor said. “Anything.”

“Do you have something you want to do for our next date?”, Gilgalad asked, to change the topic. “If I may call it a date.”

The other ellon smiled and reached out with his hand to grab Ereinion’s. “Of course you may. And yes. I would like to show you my favourite places in Formenos, if you are alright with that.”

“Only if I can show you around my favourite places in my quarter after.”

“Deal.”


	5. Formenos – Yavanna’s Garden

They agreed quite easily on a date for their exploration of Formenos. Despite studying and working on the side, Gilgalad was adequately flexible with his schedule. Celebrimbor’s planner was much more filled up, but he was able to find a slot that would be perfect for them.  
Formenos was built on the highest hill outside the city centre of Tirion. The whole district way built around an old castle, that still stood strong. By now, it was a museum of royal elven culture. Gilgalad had not visited it yet, even though he was interested in the topic.

Gilgalad felt apprehensive when he took the bus to Formenos Station. He left from the same stop that Celebrimbor must have used after their initial meeting. The bus line was one of the longest in the city, driving first towards the centre and then out to Formenos. He could have chosen a different connection with less stops in between but he would have to interchange. The five minutes of time he would have saved were not worth risking missing the connection entirely.  
Gilgalad arrived at the appointed place ten minutes early anyway. He debated with himself if he should observe the area from a bit farther away, but decided this was an insane course of action. He sat down on the bench of the bus stop and waited there for Celebrimbor. They had written each other by phone, so he already knew the other would be five minutes late. One of the customers in the shop had caused the delay. Gilgalad himself did not care for the few extra minutes, he knew how customers could be. In the club, there always were the few who tried to argue for another hour, another beer, even though it was closing time. In the meantime, Gilgalad observed the people walking by. It was true, the city was not without segregation. Here in Formenos, there were more elves on the streets than in his own quarter. Almost no dwarves or hobbits were around, only some humans and part-elves. It was so different to Gilgalad’s home streets, where the population was mixed to equal proportions.  
Ereinion spotted his date before the other saw him. Celebrimbor was coming closer with long strides, looking around nervously as if he feared Gilgalad would have already left. When his eyes finally found Ereinion’s, he relaxed visibly. Gilgalad grinned and walked towards his date.   
“I am sorry”, Celebrimbor said and bowed a bit. Again, Gilgalad was taken aback by the duality of the ellon before him. He knew how to run a jewellery store successfully, knew DnD and played it, but on the other hand, his manners showed a more conservative upbringing.  
Gilgalad, who had to sit through lessons on manners, nodded slowly and closed his eyes for a moment. It was a sign of accepting the apology, at least according to the textbook. If Celebrimbor conducted himself that proper, Gilgalad could reciprocate.  
The appreciation for the effort was clearly visible on the tall ellon’s face. Celebrimbor smiled and straightened his back again. He carried his hair open, the strands falling into his face. The goldsmith brushed them behind his ears with his left hand. The right one, he offered to Ereinion. It was a clear invitation to see with how much public affection Gilgalad was comfortable.  
It was not a hard decision to make. Whilst Gilgalad was unsure about more, holding hands he was comfortable with. He took the hand offered to him and let himself be pulled close.  
“May I embrace you?”, Celebrimbor asked.  
Instead of answering, Gilgalad opened their arms, stepped closer and placed his head against Celebrimbor’s neck. To people watching, it would have seemed chaste, but for Ereinion, this was the most intimate contact he had had in years. With his co-workers, fist-bumps or on sided hugs were customary. The people Gilgalad met outside work were also not big on physical contact. He shuddered and Celebrimbor held him closer for a moment.  
When they disentangled, Gilgalad actually sighed. “Thank you, I needed this.”  
Celebrimbor grinned. “I am glad I could help. Do you have a preference where to go first?”  
“No, I will follow your lead, you grew up here after all.”  
“Alright”, Celebrimbor answered. “Then we will start with the park two streets over.”  
It did not slip Gilgalad’s attention that they kept on holding hands.

The park was truly beautiful. Again, the first thing Gilgalad noticed was something people who grew up in Formenos probably never realized. The ground was free of plastic bags and other waste. In the park he had met Celebrimbor for the first time, litter on the ground was common. Somehow the party-goers had a different, probably careless mentality. Either the inhabitants of Formenos were conscious about this problem, or they had a very good city cleaning department.  
On the second glance Gilgalad was finally able to process the beauty of the gardens in front of him.  
“These are Yavanna’s gardens, named for one of the Valar”, Celebrimbor explained. “In her honour, fruit trees have been planted and when they bear fruit, everyone is allowed to take some. Only for immediate eating though.”  
“This is a good concept”, Gilgalad answered. “It has the potential to give happiness to some people.”  
“As a child, I loved walking by in late summer. My mother always plucked the most beautiful fruit for me, or so she told me.”  
It was such an intimate and warm memory, Gilgalad thought. He had no such story to share, for he had never known his parents and grown up in an orphanage.  
“For how long does the fruit-sharing now exist?”, Gilgalad asked in lack of something else to say.  
Celebrimbor shrugged. “For longer than I live. I could ask grandfather, but he is currently on the other side of the family dispute.”  
“I just asked because I had never heard about this.”  
“It does not get dragged out in the newspaper”, Celebrimbor explained. “When I was young, there had always been a small announcement in there when the fruits began to ripen.”  
“As a child, I would have liked coming here too”, Gilgalad said. “My favourite spot had been high up in a tree in the street the orphanage was in. They never found me.”  
Celebrimbor laughed a little and Ereinion melted a bit. The sound was so cute. Yes cute, he was not able to describe it any other way. Gilgalad leaned against the other’s shoulder. “Did you climb up trees too?”  
“I was a very proper elfling raised in the Noldor way, we do not climb trees”, Celebrimbor answered with mocked seriousness.  
Gilgalad raised an eyebrow. “Truly?”  
“No. I built a hook that I could throw into the highest branches and climbed up the rope to get there. So technically, I climbed no tree, only the rope.” He laughed. “My father disagreed with my assessment though.”  
“I can imagine”, Gilgalad laughed. “He was certainly livid.”  
“Ah, not really. He just did not like the rope and showed me how to built a ladder. Which I then never used.”  
They both chuckled a bit and left the gardens on the other side.


	6. Formenos- Historic Streets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The date goes on in the historic distric of Tirion. Celebrimbor shows some places of importance to Gilgalad

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No, I did not abandon this fic. Updates will remain sporadic though.

They wandered out of the park into the old streets of the Formenos District. Every building on the street spoke of old money and history. Almost all houses were built out of white stone and kept in pristine condition. Of course Gilgalad knew some of it was because of the city policy. The three historic quarters were to be kept preserved for the future generations. The three districts consisted out of the Castle, Formenos and Gondolinya. The last one had been named after a city long lost in the wars of old. Still, part of Tirion carried the name, because the King of Gondolin had been a nephew to the old King of Tirion. Celebrimbor surely knew more about the old stories, he had grown up among the old stones after all.

A bit later, they arrived at the gate leading through the castle wall. The Castle was the biggest ancient fortification of elven culture. The outer wall had once likely spanned around the old city. Nowadays almost the whole district was a museum. There were some little shops spread around and some restaurants and hotels in this part, but almost no permanent residences. The few other buildings not used for museums were used by the Tirion University.  
“Have you been to the Kings’ Museum?”, Celebrimbor asked.  
Gilgalad shook his head. “I have been to the Tiron Museum, but not in the Kings’.” There was quite a difference in admittance fee and he had not prioritised saving money for it. The Tirion Museum was much cheaper and it held the interesting pieces for Gilgalad’s small business in them, namely historic dwarven pearls and other jewellery of the like.  
“Would you like to go in? My treat”, Celebrimbor offered.  
Gilgalad nodded.  
Together they walked through the main gate of the castle wall and turned towards the Kings’ Museum. It was housed in on of the oldest buildings of the city. It was believed to have been built by one of the first kings of the elves and it had withstood all times. Different styles of architecture showed where another ruler had added to the house. All in all, it was a very traditional building of typical Noldorin craft.  
Celebrimbor paid the admittance fee and they were in. Gilgalad took his new friend’s hand and squeezed without force. “Show me around?”  
Celebrimbor agreed and pulled Ereinion towards the basement part of the museum. This was basically a big vault, used for storing the old crowns and circlets of the former kings and nobles. Tirion had never been destroyed or even attacked, so most of the valuable goods of the old ages had been preserved by the previous generations. Only the third king of the Noldor based in Tirion had ever gone to war and that one had been fought on the shores of Beleriand.  
“I think we should start with the most important pieces of the collection”, Celebrimbor said. “Which would be the crowns. At least for me, they have been a great inspiration when designing jewellery myself. You would be surprised how many people ask for circlets in the style of the first generation.”  
Gilgalad smiled. “With the pearls I make it is the same. The ones who commission my services always sent references from historic pieces found all around the world.”

Indeed the jewellery was a sight to see. Gilgalad had of course seen pictures of the pieces, but reality was different. The sheen of the metal somehow seemed more intense this way and the combination of the materials was more obvious. On the images had been a bit hard to differentiate between gold and brass.  
“Which one do you like best?”, Gilgalad asked out of curiosity.  
Celebrimbor smiled. “All of them are remarkable pieces. What I think is interesting is the fact most of them were made by the same smith.”  
“How can one tell?”  
“There are small markings on the inside, look over there”, Celebrimbor pointed at an engraving on a copper circlet. “It is an artist’s mark as customary among smiths.”  
Gilgalad nodded. “I can see it on the High King’s crown too, now you pointed it out.”  
“Correct. These two were made by the same elf. Their name has not been delivered throughout history, which is a shame.”  
“I agree.”

After discussing the jewellery a bit more in detail, they went up to the upper floors. It did not surprise Gilgalad to learn his new friend was a bit obsessed with the smiths from long ago. On this topic, their interests aligned, so it was not a hardship to listen to him rave about small details which had changed within the craft, concerning different tools and techniques.  
Afterwards, they went to a small cafe of Celebrimbor’s choosing. He had grown up in Formenos after all and knew the good places to dine. From the outside, the cafe did not give of the best impression, but almost all seats were claimed, which was prove of the quality.  
“Now it’s my treat”, Gilgalad said with a small small and took Celebrimbor’s hand.  
“Alright”, the goldsmith agreed.  
The inside of the cafe was tastefully decorated, in a mix of traditional elven style columns and modern day design in the chairs and lights. Somehow it still felt cozy and even inside small blankets were available.  
Gilgalad looked around approvingly and found a small sign which told him the cafe was with self-service. He turned to his companion. “What do you want to drink?”, he asked when it was their turn to order.  
“Green tea please”, Celebrimbor said to the barista. “And one of the cinnamon pastries.”  
“And for me a medium coffee and a blueberry muffin please”, Gilgalad ordered.  
The got their pastries and the drinks on a black tray and made their way over to a free table near the windows. Outside the streets were well travelled by all kin alike, most of them tourists as could be seen by their clothing and items they were carrying.  
They sat down beside each other and not on opposite sides. The closeness felt good, so Gilgalad leaned in a bit.  
“Thank you for inviting me”, Celebrimbor said and looked out of the window.  
“This place has some kind of meaning for you, doesn’t it?”  
“Yes. It was the favourite place of my mother, she loved it and took me here often.”  
“What happened to her?”  
“She and my father got divorced and she moved away.”  
Gilgalad took Celebrimbor’s hand. “But you sound like you haven’t met her in years.”  
“Because I didn’t. I was cruel as a child, believing she abandoned me and never searched for her. I tried to find her for the last three years, but even father does not know where she lives now, only that she’s alive.”  
“I could help you”, Gilgalad said. “Maybe with my journalistic ways I can find a trace of her.” He smiled encouragingly.  
Celebrimbor smiled too. “Thank you, but I doubt you will find her. Apropos journalistic talents, have you thought about my offer yet?”


	7. Starlight Quarter

Gilgalad used the following day to think about Celebrimbor’s offer. It was too good to pass by. An internship, with the possibility of more, at the Tirion Times. It was nothing Ereinion could say no to. Still he feared he would be using Celebrimbor, but the other ellon had offered.

He would tell the goldsmith during their next date.

The next date was Gilgalad’s to arrange. It would be mirroring their last date when Celebrimbor had shown him the quarter he had grown up in. This time, Ereinion would lead his hopefully-boyfriend through the streets of the Starlight Quarter. Together with the adjacent Windrun Quarter, these were the cultural and nightlife centre of the city, the Starlight Quarter being the one further removed from the historic centre of Tirion. Gilgalad lived in the middle of his part of the city, a comfortable walk away from his workplace.

Celebrimbor arrived right at the appointed time, not a minute late nor early. Gilgalad had almost expected so. Outside from the few nights he had seen the smith drunk, he had always been a picture of propriety. It was something appealing to the younger ellon, having grown up with less than kind company.

“Where will you take me tonight?”, Celebrimbor asked.

Gilgalad smiled. “On a tour of the Starlight Quarter, as promised.”

“At night?”

“There’s a reason this part bears it’s name.”

“It looks best in starlight?”

“It’s only alive when the stars are out”, Gilgalad explained. “During the day, it’s almost boring here. At night, when the bars and night shops are open, this is when it gets interesting. Are you ready to go?”

“Of course”, Celebrimbor replied and offered and arm to Gilgalad. “May I?”

“Gladly.”

Together they left Gilgalad’s flat and walked towards the club they had met in. “It’s more convenient to walk”, Ereinion had declared. To where he wanted to go with Celebrimbor, one would have to change the bus line at least once and the connection was horrible. It was much easier to just walk the four stations, taking the scenic route so to speak of.

Of course Celebrimbor recognized the small park of their first meeting. He raised an eyebrow at Gilgalad. “We met here.”

“We did”, Ereinion agreed. “We come far, haven’t we?”

“We have”, Celebrimbor agreed and carefully positioned his left hand for Gilgalad to take.

Gilgalad saw the offer for what it was and grasped Celebrimbor’s hand.

“Are we going to the old club first?”, the smith asked.

“No, we will walk a while longer towards the Artistic Street. It’s basically the centre of alternative culture here in Tirion.”

“I’ve heard about it, but I’ve never been there before”, Celebrimbor explained.

“You’ve missed out. By day, it is truly nothing to look upon, but at night, it’s magnificent.”

“Why at night? Wouldn’t it be more, I don’t know, clever, to open the stores and restaurants during a time when most people are awake?”

“Apparently not. Especially on weekends, the streets are packed in this part. Somehow the opening times established themselves.”

“I am intrigued how this works”, Celebrimbor said and looked ahead.

By now, they had passed by the place of their first meeting, none of them truly acknowledging this. They walked on, hand in hand, until the bustling in the streets became more. Surprisingly many elves were among the people out at night, some dwarves and a big percentage of humans, dressed for the night.

They entered the Artistic Street from the southern end, where some of the painter’s shops were located. Celebrimbor was immediately awed by the magnificence of the artistry. The houses were of modern style, formed out of bricks and concrete, as opposed to the masonry in the historic centre. Here, the artists had made a valiant effort to hide the simplicity of the architecture. They had used fluorescent colours to paint the outside of the shops. During the day, one could barely see the picture, but at night, when special lamps shone on them, they unfolded their beauty.

“What colours are these?”, Celebrimbor asked as he was staring upwards to some sprawling Tengwar script which repeated a part of a well known poem.

“Special fluorescent colours”, Gilgalad said. “I think these are mixed in a way they will only show when they use these lamps there to activate them.” He pointed at one of the light-sources.

“This is truly amazing. What kind of shop is this?”

“Do you want to go in?”

Instead of answering, Celebrimbor pulled Gilgalad with him through the door.

As the poem on the outside had suggested, inside was a book-shop. Gilgalad had not been in it before, so it was something new for him too. When he had visited the Artistic Street, he had mostly been here to get new tools for his own projects, or went out to drink something with his few friends.

In the shop, the books reached up to the ceiling on shelves which followed no straight line. They could be liked to the human organic architectural style, but here wood had burned in pictures. Gilgalad took a few moments to appreciate the craft. To achieve all this, months or years must have passed.

Celebrimbor let go of Gilgalad’s hand for a while to browse the shelves. Ereinion just watched him and his concentration. Some of the books the smith pulled out were about historic elven jewellery, others simple novels. It seemed Celebrimbor had a wide spread taste for reading, something which made him even more attractive.

“What is it?”, Celebrimbor asked when he caught Gilgalad’s eye.

“Nothing. I just thought I would want to kiss you right now”, Gilgalad professed and stepped closer. “If you will allow me to do so.”

Without a word, Celebrimbor leaned in smiled. He let his lips brush against Gilgalad’s. The smaller ellon leaned in and deepened their kiss.

This was how Celebrimbor and Gilgalad had their first kiss in a small book store in the Starlight Quarter of Tirion. Some patrons were watching them, but they tuned the distractions out. It was a move not changing the world, but their lives were.


End file.
